Saeed Al-Owairan

Lore & Background

Owairan spent his entire club career at Al-Shabab, a Saudi club based in Riyadh. He won 85 caps for the Saudi Arabia national team, scoring 34 goals, including seven in 1994 World Cup Qualifiers. He achieved international renown at the 1994 World Cup in the United States, in which he scored a stunning individual goal against Belgium at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. that was later voted the sixth best in FIFA's Goal of the Century rankings. The goal sent Saudi Arabia through to the second round of the World Cup for the first time.

They subsequently lost 3–1 to Sweden in the Round of 16. Following the World Cup, Owairan returned to Saudi Arabia. The same year he was named as Asian Footballer of the Year. Despite interest from European clubs, he was unable to leave the country due to a national law preventing Saudi footballers from playing abroad.

Although he was selected as part of the Saudi Arabia national team at the 1998 World Cup in France, he only made two appearances as Saudi Arabia went out in the group stages.

Reader's Guide

Owairan is known for his dribbling and finishing. His most famous moment came in the 1994 World Cup when he ran from his own half to score against Belgium. He played his entire club career at Al-Shabab.